Currently, T1 is regarded as the top team in all the tournaments they will participate in. Not only did they achieve victory in the LCK Spring 2022, becoming the first team to qualify for MSI 2022 among the four Major leagues, but Faker and his teammates also had a perfect tournament. Their record of 20 wins and 0 losses is a milestone that, at least within the LCK, no other team will surpass unless the organizers change the competition format and increase the number of matches.
However, MSI 2022 and further, the World Championship 2022, will be very different environments. These tournaments are not as prolonged as domestic leagues, and every mistake can come at a high cost. So far, only SKT T1 has managed to defend the MSI championship, but Faker and his teammates have only won this tournament twice. Furthermore, representatives from other Major regions, especially China, are always ready to challenge the strength of the “undefeated” T1.
Recently, Faker made some statements regarding their major rival, the LPL. Accordingly, the “Demon King” stated: “I don’t follow LPL much, so I’m not fully aware of their strength. But I think facing off against players like Rookie will be very exciting. I believe Rookie is the number 1 mid laner in the LPL right now, and fans will really enjoy the matchup between me and Rookie.”
It can be said that Faker’s lack of full knowledge about the strength of the LPL may partly be due to the fact that this tournament has not yet concluded and T1’s opponents at MSI 2022 have not been revealed. Nevertheless, he confirms that Rookie will be a formidable opponent, indicating his high regard for his fellow countryman playing for Victory Five.
Additionally, for a player like Faker who has been in the game for many years, regardless of who the opponent is, T1 remains focused on achieving their highest goal of victory. Therefore, it may be that for the “Demon King”, at this moment, the biggest rival he fears is none other than himself.